Westfield Topanga mall operators planning Village project

A chain-link fence shrouded in green nylon defines the shape of the next big thing coming to the West San Fernando Valley.

The barrier marks the boundaries of The Village, where the Westfield Group plans to develop a $750 million mixed-use project that will link its Topanga and Promenade malls, creating one of Southern California's biggest shopping and entertainment destinations.

Westfield announced plans for The Village last year, saying it will include multifamily housing, offices, shops, restaurants and a four-star hotel.

A spokeswoman said Westfield is working now to flesh out the plans, complete required studies and get permits needed to start construction.

"There is a lot of interest from local and regional tenants," said Westfield spokeswoman Katy Dickey. "But clearly understand that you can't have tenants until you have an approved project."

Westfield plans to brief the Warner Center/Woodland Hills Neighborhood Council on the project next month.

An environmental impact report is expected by year's end, laying out plans for mitigating the effects of the 35million visitors the project is expected to draw each year - about twice the number who flock to The Grove in Hollywood.

The three major components - The Village and the two Westfield malls - will cover 3.8 million square feet, the developer has said, so the complex will be bigger than South Coast Plaza in Orange County or Del Amo Fashion Center in Torrance.

Gordon Murley, vice president of L.A.'s South Valley Area Planning Commission, which advises elected officials on community concerns, said members are waiting to see details of what Westfield plans for the area.

"They say they haven't gotten down to the drawings," he said. "We've told them it can't be another shopping center. It has to be a destination area."

In the meantime, Crate & Barrel is erecting a 34,000- square-foot store scheduled to open in November on the southeast corner of Topanga Canyon and Victory boulevards.

While it's in the heart of Westfield territory, the Crate & Barrel is technically not part of The Village, although it eventually will be connected by walkways to the project, said Rob Hense, Crate & Barrel's senior managing director of development.

The Crate & Barrel plans to close its store in the Westfield Topanga mall and relocate across the street, Hense said, where a larger store will allow the retailer to display its full furniture line.

Hense also said Crate & Barrel isn't discouraged by the slump in the economy or the downturn in the housing market. And having the Neiman Marcus and other upscale stores in the Topanga mall is a positive sign.

"In spite of what's going on in the economy, we're very bullish on Southern California," he said. "We think the timing is right to make the move in that market. In the long run it will be the proper positioning for us."